The Type 45 destroyers were built to replace the Type 42 (Sheffield class) destroyers that had served during the Falklands War, with the last Type 42 being decommissioned in 2013. The National Audit Office reported that, during an "intensive attack", a single Type 45 could simultaneously track, engage and destroy more targets than five Type 42 destroyers operating together.After the launch of Daring on 1 February 2006 Admiral Sir Alan West, a former First Sea Lord, stated that it would be the Royal Navy's most capable destroyer ever, as well as the world's best air-defence ship.The reduction in the number to be procured from twelve, then to (up to) eight, finally with only six confirmed (in 2008) was controversial.

Another controversy erupted when it was revealed that due to issues with the Northrop Grummanintercooler on the WR-21 gas turbines in the warm climate of the Persian Gulf,the class were not operating as originally envisioned .As a solution, a future multimillion-pound refit for the class adding additional power generation capacity is planned.